Bauer Media is working with the British Video Association to try and get more people watching DVDs
Bauer Media has inked a deal with the British Video Association (BVA) that will see it run what it claims to be the first cross-industry initiative to get people watching more DVDs, Blu-ray, and Digital HD movies at home.
The number of people choosing to stream films through services like Netflix and Amazon Instant Video has had a knock on already sliding DVD sales.
In a bid to drive visibitlity to home entertainment, the BVA will run an 11-week campaign, dubbed #MovieWeekender, across the Bauer's multiple brands and platforms, which reach a combined 22 million people every week, to promote its members' - including Paramount, Lionsgate UK, Studiocanal - biggest the new release titles.
On-air promotions across Bauer's KISS Network, Absolute Radio Network and Magic, will run from Thursday through to Sunday each week. Meanwhile its print titles, Empire and Heat, will run branded columns to direct readers to new releases through recommendations.
The campaign will encourage people to use the hashtag #MovieWeekender, with one winner to be picked every week to be given their own at-home movie experience.
Chief executive of the BVA Liz Bales said the aim is to have a campaign that achieves mass reach, generates conversation and talk-ability; ultimately creating greater visibility of the industry in the form of a halo campaign.
The launch comes amidst claims that Bauer's Sydney-based magazine Cleo is soon to close, sparked by the magazine’s website closure last month.
The Daily Telegraph reported Cleo’s closure was “imminent” and that staff, including editor Lucy Cousins, should expect to be notified in a meeting today.
The Guardian Australia claims inside sources have revealed the magazine is indeed expected to close, but this is yet to be confirmed.
In response a spokeperson from Baeur told The Drum: "The report by the Daily Telegraph regarding Cleo is complete speculation, and we have no plans to announce to staff or issue a statement that we are closing Cleo today."